Maybe, We’ll See Inazuma Eleven In North America

Level 5 is set on bringing their soccer RPG series Inazuma Eleven to Europe, but haven’t said anything official about North America. Seems like Level 5 is laying the foundation to bring the DS game here, though.

Level 5’s league of lawyers filed a trademark for Inazuma Eleven in the US which is more for games than animated TV shows. The registration covers “video game discs,” arcade machines, and cell phone straps. Considering how cell phone straps are not a core component of Level 5’s business model, we’re betting this is for a domestic release of Inazuma Eleven.

Do you have to specify the type of media your product will be distributed on while filing a patent? If it’s just discs, it could be referring to the console Inazuma Eleven game they’ve had in development…that’s kind of stretching it, though.

This is great news! I’ve been wanting to play Inazamu Eleven in English since forever! And here I thought I was going to have to import!

cowcow

Thank god. The fan translation was moving at a snail’s ass pace

kylehyde

God, Ala, Buda make this happen.

hsiao

Is this game really that good? Has anyone here played the JP version?

I’m cautiously optimistic about this serie and the concept is good, but it wouldn’t be the first time a Japanese exclusive is regarded as an absolutely great game, and then put in perspective when it comes out in the west (see games like Avalon Code, or Nostalgia).

Hraesvelgr

I didn’t like what I played of it, but it may just be because I don’t like soccer and I really don’t like Level-5.

Pichi

That’s one of my pet peeves when it comes to that. I try to read as many impressions as possible from positive to negative from importers to get a better picture of the game. Want less things to cloud one’s judgment.

At the time of its release, it was probably the 5th or 6th best DS game. I’d probably say the same of the sequel. I do love soccer, but that’s far outweighed by my distaste for Level-5’s games. Basically, if The World Ends With You advanced JRPGs through complexity, Inazuma 11 does it through simplicity. Also, the Mitsuda soundtrack is awesome, and the theme to the 1st game is bananas. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBjsrSExoAc

No one was saying those kinds of things about Avalon Code (I don’t like the developer much) or Nostalgia (I do, but it was a B-tier, fun release from day 1). Inazuma 11 2 was my 2nd favorite game of 2009, personally.

I only played the demo that came w/ the Jpn Layton 2 very briefly and I didn’t like it then. Maybe it was because my characters were very weak against the strongest school in the beginning.. I couldn’t beat them by sweeping or tackling, the stats weren’t at my favor. I love the anime though w/ the main goalkeeper char voiced by the energetic Takeuchi Junko (Naruto). I’m not a big soccer fan these days, but I used to be crazy about the Captain Tsubasa anime and games. Inazuma Eleven does have those cool super moves.

Not surprising to see that the series is not making it over to N.A.
After hearing that Big Windup! was a flop, the people at Funimation seemed to have seen this as there just isn’t a big audience for animated sports series.

Joanna

I hope this is for Inazuma Eleven on the DS. I’ve never really liked sports games, but this one seems like it blends enough RPG elements to hold my interest.

Aoshi00

It would be great for it to finally come out in the states, but soccer is not popular here at all unlike in Europe, so I’m not keeping my hopes up. I could’ve picked up the game real cheap one time for like $20, but I didn’t like what I played of the demo, I guess I should’ve gotten it in retrospect.. Sports manga take forever to be localized too, like Slam Dunk.

If anything, shouldn’t they bring over the Eyeshield 21 Wii football game, since the manga has been translated into Eng? I guess it’s not that good a game anyway, other than for fans of the series.

The anime series made it over, too. Only eight episodes were dubbed for Toonami Jetstream, but the series is now officially hosted on Crunchy Roll (sub only).
From what I hear, the games are okay, not terrible. The portable ones (DS, PSP) looked like they were fun.
The TV show was fun, too, from what little I saw. At the end they would teach you a bit about football, something football fans would say “dur!” to, but it’s something I know next to nothing about!

Aoshi00

I know, I remember the “Whistle!” anime (good manga, horrible anime) also taught the audience soccer tidbits at the end of every episode, very basic stuff that almost everyone who has played knows about. I think one rule most regular folks are murky on is “offside”, like you can’t get pass the ball to your teammates when they are btwn your opponents’ players and goalkeeper. If a goal is scored that way it doesn’t count. So it’s funny to see some people cheer and then disappointed it’s an offside, lol

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